Acid Reflux Vs Heart Attack: DISCOVER the Differences

There
are several disease conditions affecting humans
that have more or less similar symptomatic
behavior patterns and acid reflux & heart
attack represents one such pair. A little research
on the topic may clear the confusion, leading to
recovery through the right course of
treatment.

To
begin with, acid reflux or more precisely
gastro-esophageal acid reflux (GER) is caused by
the untimely opening of the lower esophageal
one-way valve or sphincter (LES) whose duty is to
admit food and beverages carried by the esophagus
into the stomach and not vice versa. But due to
muscular fatigue or weakness, whatever you may
call, the LES occasionally opens up (undue gas
build up within the stomach may also force it to
do so) as a result of which a part of the acidic
stomach contents refluxes (back flows) into the
esophagus when all hell breaks loose.

The
stomach acid produced within the body (for
digestion purpose) is a fairly strong acidic
solution (hydrochloric acid) that can corrode any
bodily organ which is not protected by mucus
membrane and that precisely is what happens to the
poor esophagus which is not protected by any
mucosa at all. T corrosion eventually takes the
form of a 'heartburn' or a burning sensation
experienced below the breastbone, somewhat similar
to the pain and discomfort caused by angina
pectoris or myocardial ischemia, more
colloquially, a heart attack.

Acid
reflux -Vs- Heart attack - The Two Are
Different

However,
a heart attack has nothing to do with the stomach
or the esophagus. On the contrary, it can be
defined as the destruction of heart muscles due to
stoppage of blood flow there. The stoppage is
mostly due to a blockage of the coronary artery or
there could be a bundle of blockage causing severe
pain, not heartburning. Although pain is somewhat
common in both heartburn and heart attack, there
are other significant symptoms which can surely
distinguish the latter from the
former.

While
a burning sensation in the chest is the forerunner
of acid
reflux, no such symptom predicts a heart
attack. Though pain is also experienced
during acid reflux, it never extends to other body
parts like the shoulders, neck or arms. Heart
attack pain may spread right up to the jaw bones
and is accompanied by shortness of breath,
sweating (profuse) and dizziness. These symptoms
are also never associated with acid reflux or
heartburn.

Typically,
heart attack symptoms include sudden onset of
tightness in the chest region along with
substantial pressure, squeezing, constriction,
with radiation to left arm, especially after meals
or with emotional arousal. No such symptoms are
linked to acid reflux or gastro-esophageal acid
reflux, for that matter. Also significant are
other contributing factors in relation to heart
attack that include strong family history of
cardiac diseases, high cholesterol, high blood
pressure and diabetes Mellitus. When none of these
is present in the case history of the patient, his
or her heartburn or painful condition below the
breastbone could indicate GER and not Angina
Pectoris.

But
where the two are the same is in the discomfort
they can cause in the chest region. Though acid
reflux is not as serious as a heart ailment, you
should not take a chance with it. If its symptoms
are showing, you should opt for holistic remedy,
as it provides a quicker and better relief than
conventional drugs.

Holistic
treatment treats the body as a whole and tries to
find out all the contributing factors, which can
be many in the case of acid reflux. The fact is,
conventional medicine does not treat the body as a
whole and so often all the causes of the disease
cannot be identified and thus cannot be treated
either. Because of this, so often it happens that
the symptoms go away with treatment but soon
reappears (since some of the underlying causes are
still active).Go instead for holistic treatment
for a permanent acid-reflux-free
life!